China just rolled out 23 new ways to spy on, judge, and control its citizens—and now even local governments must bow to Beijing’s twisted scoring system.
At a Glance
- China has expanded its Orwellian “social credit system” with 23 new measures targeting citizens, companies, and now even local governments
- The system assigns scores based on perceived loyalty to Communist Party ideals, restricting access to services for those with “bad credit”
- New reforms create a list of “seriously discredited entities” with restricted financial access, partly responding to the Evergrande collapse
- State-owned enterprises and government offices are now subject to the same surveillance and control mechanisms
- A vague “rehabilitation” process is proposed for those with low scores, though details remain conveniently unspecified
Big Brother Goes High-Tech
Just when you thought Communist China couldn’t get more dystopian, they’ve one-upped themselves again. The Chinese government has rolled out 23 new measures to “enhance” their already terrifying social credit system, which ranks citizens based on their perceived value to the Communist Party. The system, which launched in 2018, has already banned millions from traveling by plane or high-speed rail simply for having “bad credit.” Now they’re doubling down on this Orwellian nightmare and extending their digital leash to include local governments and state-owned companies.
What started as a way to control individual citizens is expanding into a comprehensive surveillance apparatus that integrates virtually every aspect of life in China. Make no mistake—this isn’t just about catching jaywalkers or litterbugs. It’s about absolute control. The Communist Party wants to know what you buy, who you talk to, what you say online, and even who your friends are. All of this information gets fed into the system that determines whether you’re a “good” citizen deserving of basic privileges the rest of us take for granted.
They’re Coming for Their Own Now
The most revealing aspect of these new regulations is how the Chinese Communist Party is now turning its surveillance apparatus on its own government officials. Local governments, which have been struggling economically due to pandemic-related expenditures and a collapsing real estate market, will now have their own social credit scores. Think about that for a second—even the enforcers aren’t immune from being enforced upon. This is totalitarianism eating itself from the inside out, as Xi Jinping’s endless “anti-corruption” campaign (read: purge of political rivals) extends its digital tentacles.
“The Social Credit System is best understood as part of the country’s growing surveillance apparatus.” according to this source.
The Party claims these reforms will address issues like inconsistent regulatory frameworks and limited information sharing. But let’s be real—this is about tightening central control over an increasingly restless population and unstable economy. When the Communist Party mouthpiece Global Times praises these measures as “necessary for rewarding credibility,” you know something sinister is afoot. Remember, this is the same regime that calls concentration camps “vocational training centers.”
Coming Soon to America?
Before you dismiss this as some far-off problem, ask yourself why certain political elements in our own country seem so fascinated with China’s “efficiency.” We’ve already watched as big tech companies build algorithms that determine what content you can see. We’ve seen banks close accounts of politically disfavored businesses. We’ve witnessed government agencies label parents at school board meetings as potential “domestic terrorists.” The blueprint for a social credit system isn’t just being built in China—pieces of it are being assembled right here at home.
“The relationship between Social Credit and private programs like Sesame Credit is often misunderstood.” says this article.
One particularly chilling aspect of China’s expanded system is the creation of a “rehabilitation” process for those with low social credit scores. The Chinese government hasn’t specified what this entails, but given their track record with “rehabilitating” religious minorities and political dissidents, it’s not likely to involve a friendly chat over tea. Is this the model of governance that progressives want to import? A system where government determines your worth based on your compliance with whatever the current orthodoxy happens to be?
The Lesson for America
If there’s anything we should take from China’s social credit expansion, it’s a warning of what happens when government power goes unchecked. Our Constitution was designed specifically to prevent this kind of centralized control over citizens’ lives. The Founders understood that government is a necessary evil that must be constantly restrained and limited. As we watch China’s citizens lose more freedoms with each passing year, Americans should recommit ourselves to defending our constitutional rights against any encroachment, no matter how well-intentioned it may seem.
The Chinese Communist Party promises to “respect information security and individual rights” while implementing these changes. That’s as believable as a wolf promising to respect the rights of sheep while installing a new security system in the henhouse. Their social credit system represents everything America stands against: government deciding winners and losers, punishment without due process, and the elimination of privacy. We must ensure that such a system never takes root on American soil.
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